June 30th, 2013 , 09:58 pm
Tiger Color Variations
We all know that the tiger is a fiery cat with black stripes, we also know about the beautiful white Bengal tigers - snow-white with black stripes. What do we know about golden, black and Maltese tigers? Today I will tell you about them :)
Golden Tiger
The golden tiger is the most rare color variation caused by a recessive gene. Such representatives of tigers differ slightly from their relatives large size and softer golden fur with orange stripes, black stripes can only be seen on some individuals at the tip of the tail. There is a version that the development of this type of color gradually developed in a group of tigers, one of whose representatives possessed a recessive gene for golden color and periodically interbred with its offspring. The color that appeared served as additional camouflage for such tigers living in areas rich in clay soils. On this moment There are about 30 golden tigers in captivity.
Black Tiger
The black tiger is a rare color variation of the tiger and is not a distinct species or geographic subspecies. Black tigers are named because of pseudomelanosis. The black stripes of pseudomelanistic tigers are so close together that the background color is barely visible between them. For a long time black tigers were considered a myth, however, several skins have proven that pseudo-melanists exist. Melanistic tigers, unlike black tigers, are uniformly black without stripes. Melanistic tiger was captured only once; now this image is lost.
Maltese (blue) tiger
Artistic representation maltese tiger
The existence of the Maltese (blue) tiger has not been proven, but reports of encounters with it periodically come from the Chinese province of Fujian and Korea. Based on these reports, the tiger has bluish fur with dark gray stripes. Possibly due to illegal hunting of tigers in China, the blue variety of tigers has become completely extinct. Around 1910, Harry Caldwell, an American missionary and big game hunter, was hunting a blue tiger in the vicinity of Fuzhou. His search is described in the book “The Blue Tiger” by Roy Chappen Andrews (1924): “The color of the animal is strikingly beautiful. The main color has a delicate Maltese tint, changing to a light gray-blue towards the bottom. The stripes stand out clearly, like an ordinary yellow tiger.” . A later report of a Maltese tiger came from a US military personnel during the Korean campaign. A soldier saw a blue tiger in the mountains near the demilitarized zone. This meeting is described in the book “Mysterious Cats of the World” by Karl Shuker. There have also been reports of blue tigers from Burma.
White Bengal tigers have black and brown stripes on their white fur and blue eyes. This coloration is very rare among wild animals, but is often common in captive populations. Only one is born per 10,000 tigers white. The first mention of a white tiger dates back to 1951, when one of the hunters found a tigress in the lair white tiger cub. This tiger was crossed with a female of normal color, who gave birth to 4 red tiger cubs. The white tiger was then bred with one of his daughters, and in a litter of three cubs, two turned out to be white. Thus, all white tigers kept in captivity are descendants of one individual. There are currently about 130 white tigers in zoos.
White Bengal tiger is not an albino. Albino tiger has no black stripes at all.
This is the information that accompanies these photographs you have probably seen on the Internet: The unique Maltese tiger is the most... rare view tigers in the world. It is also known as the blue tiger. Habitat: Fuzhian Province, China. According to eyewitnesses, this cat has bluish fur with dark gray stripes. The term "Maltese" comes from felinologist (cat lovers) terminology for blue fur and refers to the bluish-gray coloring of the animals. Most reported Maltese tigers are of the South China subspecies. About existence blue tigers also reported from Myanmar and South Korea.
But still, let's still study the theme of the blue tiger... -
There is a version that modern world unlike the era of the greats geographical discoveries not filled with the spirit of exploring new lands and amazement from meeting unusual animals. The idea that all territories have been explored and all unusual creatures have already been described by naturalists and zoologists. It is believed that thanks to modern level development environment impossible to open the new kind or a subspecies of creatures belonging to the category of large animals.
However, there is evidence of the existence of many creatures that have not yet been included in the register of living things by zoologists and naturalists. These unusual, large and unrecognized creatures by official science include maltese tiger.
Cryptozoology is one of the most interesting areas of modern biology. Representatives of this non-academic (yet) scientific discipline are engaged in the search for mythical and non-existent animals, including those that are believed to be extinct. Blue tigers are one of the most popular legends of this kind: according to some information, such animals were seen in China about a century ago.
The first evidence of this animal's existence came in 1910 from an American priest named Gary Caldwell. (Gary Caldwell). Gary Caldwell was not only a man who introduced the people of southeastern China to the basics of the Protestant faith, but also an avid big cat hunter. The overwhelming majority of tigers he encountered had normal color, but one animal captured the hunter’s imagination. This tiger had a silver-blue skin streaked with inky black stripes. Gary Caldwell was never able to kill this beast, but carefully described his encounter with this unusual tiger in his book " Blue Tiger"(The Blue Tiger, 1924). Having trampled his hunting pride, he preserved the description of the Maltese tiger and the area in which this animal lives.
The missionary's story was not believed, so he announced a reward for the capture of this animal. Many experienced hunters, flattered by a lot of money, took part in the search, but they failed to track down the unique predator - the missionary’s words remained an unsubstantiated “tale.”
After the incident with the missionary, information about these animals periodically comes from different corners globe.
Another book of interest to cryptozoologists eager to find the silver-gray tiger are travel notes Gary Caldwell's associate named Roy Chapman Andrews (Roy Chapman Andrews). Mention of an unusual tiger is contained in the seventh chapter of Roy Andrews's travel diary, published in 1918.
The famous British cryptozoologist Karl Shuker, in his work “The Mysterious Cats of the World,” quotes both the work of Gary Caldwell and “Camps and Trails in China” by Roy Andrews.
Cryptozoologists and adherents of official zoology fight each other, defending opposing points of view: the former believe that maltese tiger exists, while the latter believe that tigers with silver-gray fur do not exist. However, official zoology recognizes the existence of the Maltese tiger. In 1960, a tiger with a silver-gray skin streaked with black stripes was born at the Oklahoma Zoo. The animal lived to an old age, and after death, a stuffed animal was made from the unusual tiger. This little known fact confirms the theory of cryptozoologists that Maltese tigers live on the southeastern outskirts of China. Representatives of official science have not discovered Maltese tigers in this difficult-to-research territory, but this does not refute the existence of such tigers in the wild.
The amazingly elegant color combination characteristic of the skin of Maltese tigers is due to mutation. Most likely, Maltese tigers, sporting a silver-blue coat with black stripes, were exposed to genetic mutation, causing the inability to reproduce a pigment such as phelomelin. It is the action of phelomelanin that explains the golden-red color of ordinary tigers. If the animal’s body is not able to create this pigment, then the fur has a bluish-gray tint.
It is unknown whether they have survived maltese tigers V wildlife. It cannot be said with certainty that zoologists will soon receive evidence of the existence in the wild of these big cats, which have already become a legend and are on the same level as black lions, white and blue cheetahs. It is quite possible that Maltese tigers will remain so legendary creatures, and the scant evidence of the possibility of the existence of these beautiful creatures will be the notes of travelers and the only stuffed Maltese tiger born in captivity.
Although the existence of Maltese tigers has not yet been documented, cryptozoologists suggest that this could be the reason of blue color tigers' fur. Theoretically, this phenomenon may be caused by a malfunction of the agouti gene, which is responsible for the striped coloration present in many cats, dogs and some other species of animals. In some cases (usually in domestic cats), there is a disruption in the production of the pigment pheomelanin, resulting in a bluish coat instead of yellow and orange.
Maybe, of course, cryptozoologists will celebrate their victory and present the blue tiger to the world, but for now I can completely show you the originals of those photographs that are usually used to visualize the blue tiger.
There are nine subspecies of tigers in the world. These are the Malayan, Amur, Bengal, Sumatran, South China and Indochinese tigers.
While these six subspecies can still be found today, the remaining three subspecies, such as the Caspian, Bali and Javan tigers, were exterminated by humans or became extinct due to the destruction of their habitat.
Amur or Ussuri tiger
Most large subspecies predatory cats. Length of an adult male Ussuri tiger(lat. Panthera tigris altaica ) can reach 280 cm, and weight – 320 kg. Moreover, the length of the tail alone is approximately one meter. It is not surprising that these tigers have a great need for food and are capable of eating up to 25 kg at a time. meat. Thus, in order for the Amur tiger to always be full of strength, it must consume at least 9 kg per day. meat. However, it is known that in the absence of prey, a tiger can survive on a starvation diet for a week.
Bengal tiger
This predatory cat, as the name suggests, is a Bengal tiger (lat. Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis) lives in India. However, sometimes it can be found in neighboring countries. This subspecies numbers approximately 1,200 individuals, the size of which is not much smaller than Siberian tiger– 3 meters long and 260 kg. weight.
Indochinese tiger or Corbet's tiger
Distributed in the southernmost regions of China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. There are approximately 900 individuals of this subspecies. The population of these tigers (lat. Panthera tigris corbetti) has been poorly studied, since tigers live, as a rule, in the inaccessible forests of Indochina.
Malayan tiger
Six years ago, during research, it became known about another subspecies of tigers - the Malayan (lat. Panthera tigris jacksoni). The number of individuals of this subspecies is five hundred.
Chinese tiger
Judging by the fact that there are only 20 individuals left in the wild, namely in the central and southeastern parts of China, this subspecies of tigers (lat. Panthera tigris amoyensis) is classified as a rare and almost extinct species.
Sumatran tiger
The life of this subspecies takes place in Sumatra. About 400 individuals are found in the wild, the remaining 235 languish in zoos. With development Agriculture the number of individuals began to decrease noticeably due to which a program was launched to organize national parks. Sumatran tiger (lat. Panthera tigris sumatrae) is much smaller than other subspecies. So, an adult male weighs a maximum of 140 kg.
As for the completely exterminated subspecies...
Caspian or Turanian tiger
(lat. Panthera tigris virgata) could previously be found in Central Asia and throughout the entire territory up to the Caucasus. The coat color of this subspecies was bright red, and the stripes were longer with a brownish tint. With the onset of cold weather, the fur became fluffy and thick, and lush sideburns also grew. Exterminated in the 1970s.
Javan tiger
We lived on the island of Java (Indonesia). Considered the smallest subspecies (lat. Panthera tigris sondaica) . Its weight was no more than 140 kg with a body length of 245 cm. The weight and size of females was half that of males. It was exterminated relatively recently - in the 1980s.
Bali tiger
Lived on the island of Bali and is completely extinct. Smallest in weight and size than others predatory cats. Body (lat. Panthera tigris balica) was covered with short, bright orange fur with black stripes, the number of which was much smaller than in other subspecies. Exterminated in the 1940s.
Color mutations
Tigers are characterized by a mutation in coat color. It is for this reason that they are often born, which, however, does not mean that they are albinos. After all, their fur, although white, is covered with black stripes, and their eye color is blue or amber, which is typical for tigers with a normal color.
In addition, their non-albino status can be judged by the presence of melanin, the amount of which is not large, but is still present, which cannot be said about albinos. Birth at one time or another can occur in each subspecies. But if one of the parents was Amur subspecies, then the baby has a better chance of being born white. In addition to white tigers, there are even more exotic tigers in nature. The coat of this subspecies is light with brown stripes.
The white areas of the fur are larger in size than those of tigers of other subspecies. It is common not only among purebred Bengal tigers; it can often be found among those in whose veins the blood of the Amur subspecies flows.
And finally, a video about tigers...
In 1910, American missionary and hunter Harry Caldwell claimed to have seen a blue tiger. He described the color of the animal as bluish-gray, turning into dark blue at the bottom of the body, with dark stripes like a regular orange tiger.
Caldwell wrote: “I glanced at what appeared to be a squatting man in traditional light blue robes and turned my attention back to the goat I was tending. My companion pulled me by the elbow, saying: “A tiger is definitely a tiger.” I looked again, now it was emphasized. I saw a huge tiger's head, taller than what seemed to me to be human clothing. It turned out to be the chest and belly of the beast.”
Caldwell's dream was to shoot the animal and get its skin. Locals confirmed the existence of “blue devils,” as they called these animals. Caldwell, along with John and several other hunters, tried unsuccessfully to find the blue tiger.
In a number of cases, they found bluish hair on mountain paths. However, it was not possible to meet a live Maltese tiger. This hunt is described in detail by Caldwell’s companion, an employee of the American museum. natural history Roy Chapman Andrews.
Richard Perry, in his book "The World Of The Tiger", confirmed that in China, Maltese tigers were indeed called "blue devils" because they often attacked people. IN Lately, isolated reports of blues came from the mountainous region on the border between North and South Korea. But since North Korea does not welcome outsiders on its territory, these reports are not possible.
Theoretical possibility of existence
Eyewitness reports are not hard evidence of the existence of the blue tiger. There is not a lot of material evidence. Until now, it has not been possible to obtain the skin of this animal, or even photograph it.
Supporting the theory of the existence of the Maltese tiger is the fact that blue shades are not unusual among other cats. Quite widespread breeds of domestic cats are Russian Blue, Shorthair, and British Blue. It is also reliably known about the existence of blue lynxes.
British zoologist Carl Shuker suggests that blue tigers have two pairs of recessive alleles - non-agouti and degeneracy gene, which in combination give a bluish-gray color. True, in this case the tiger would not have dark stripes.
According to reports, Maltese tigers belong to the South China tiger subspecies. This subspecies is now under threat of complete extinction due to the use of preparations from them in traditional Chinese medicine. So it is quite possible that tigers with the rare blue allele are already extinct.
Rare and unusual tigers world September 7th, 2010
This year's symbol is the tiger. As you know, this is the most big representative the cat family that lives in Asia. Tigers can reach 4 meters in length and weigh up to 384 kilograms.
Today I want to tell you a little about the most amazing tigers that are found on Earth.
Maltese tiger
The unique Maltese tiger is the rarest tiger species in the world. It is also known as the blue tiger. Habitat: Fuzhian Province, China. According to eyewitnesses, this cat has bluish fur with dark gray stripes. The term "Maltese" comes from felinologist (cat lovers) terminology for blue fur and refers to the bluish-gray coloring of the animals.
Most reported Maltese tigers are of the South China subspecies. Blue tigers have also been reported from Myanmar and South Korea.
Heterozygous golden tiger
The unique heterozygous golden tiger is the second rarest tiger in the world after the Maltese tiger. The heterozygous golden tiger is similar to other golden tigers, except for one important aspect - this tiger has a recessive gene responsible for its white color.
Golden striped tiger
A very unusual golden striped tiger has light golden fur, pale paws and dull orange stripes. Its fur is much thicker than that of ordinary tigers. This color of tigers is found in only 30 animals living in captivity, and it is caused by a recessive gene. This is a type of color, not separate species these cats. These tigers are also larger in size than ordinary tigers and are of Bengal origin, like their closest relatives - white tigers.
White Tiger
White tigers are very rare in the wild, but have become frequently bred in zoos due to their popularity. This is one of the most beautiful animals in the world. It is easy to distinguish not only by its white color, but also by blue eyes and a pink nose. White tigers usually live shorter lives than their red counterparts. It is worth noting that white tigers are not albino. A white tiger can be born if both of its parents had a rare gene found only in white tigers. It has been estimated that this gene occurs only once every 10,000 litters. White tigers are also not a separate subspecies, but only differ in color from their relatives, the Bengal tigers, from which they originate.
Liger (English liger from English lion - “lion” and English tiger - “tiger”)
a hybrid between a male lion and a female tigress, looking like a giant lion with blurred stripes. Appearance and similar in size to those extinct in the Pleistocene cave lion and his relative the American lion. Ligers are the largest big cats in the world today. The largest liger is Hercules from the interactive theme park Jungle Island. Male ligers, with rare exceptions, have almost no mane, but unlike lions, ligers know how and love to swim. Another feature of ligers is that female ligers can give birth to offspring, which is unusual for feline hybrids. The extraordinary gigantism of ligers is due to the fact that ligers receive genes from their lion father that promote the growth of their offspring, while the tiger mother does not have genes that inhibit the growth of their offspring. While the tiger father does not have genes that promote growth, the lioness mother has genes that inhibit growth, which are passed on to her offspring. This explains the fact that liger is larger than a lion, and a tiger lion is smaller than a tiger.
In Russia, one ligress is kept in the Novosibirsk Zoo, and the other in the Lipetsk Zoo. Ligers can also be seen at performances of the Great Moscow State Circus (2009).
Tigrolev (also tigon or tigon, English tigon: from English tiger “tiger” and lion “lion”) 
a hybrid of a male tiger and a female lioness. Currently, tigons are not as familiar as their “counterparts” ligers, although in late XIX- at the beginning of the 20th century the situation was the opposite. Tigons are never found in nature, since tigers and lions have different habits, manners and distribution areas.
Tigons combine the characteristics of both parents: they can have spots from their mother (lion genes are responsible for spots - lion cubs are born spotted) and stripes from their father. The tigon's mane, if it appears, will always be shorter than the mane of a lion. Tigons are typically smaller than lions and tigers and weigh around 150 kg.
Male tigons are always sterile, while females are not.
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